Weekly Workouts and My New Blog Design!

Hi, everyone! As sad as I am to say good-bye to the holiday weekend, I’m ready to get back to business.

First things first. Allow me to introduce my new blog design! Since “The Final Forty” has sort of morphed from a weight loss blog to a running/fitness blog over the last year or so, I was itching for something that reflected my journey while capturing where I was now as a runner (and, let’s be honest, a runDisney fanatic).

So, I connected with Rita at Blog Genie, and she is quite possibly the most awesome designer ever! Especially for someone like me, who has OCD tendencies and wants everything to be just right. Definitely check her out if you’re in the market for a redesign, would highly recommend! I couldn’t be happier by the end result.

I’ve decided to so something a little bit nutty and start with Monday when posting my weekly workouts…since I’ve decided that Mondays are now going to be reserved for my “recap” posts.

Even though I’ve been loosely following my own adaptation of the training plan I used for the Princess Half, I think I’m successfully increasing my weekly mileage enough to prepare for the Dumbo Double Dare. I know I’m definitely getting stronger overall, what with my ability to actually get to my karate studio several times a week…just one of the benefits I’m enjoying right now with a lighter summer work schedule!

I still haven’t decided whether or not I’m going to train up to 12 miles, as I’ve done for previous half marathons. To be honest, the long runs in this heat are killing me, and the idea of taking on anything longer than 10 miles right now pretty much fills me with dread. Instead, I think I’m going to focus more on back-to-back runs to help my body get used to running on tired legs…so the next few weeks will probably consist of some consecutive 4-mile and 8-mile runs, or 5-mile and 10-mile runs.

And then, of course, I have the Dopey Challenge to think about. I know there are some training plans starting right now, but I can’t even begin to wrap my mind around the idea of training for a marathon in the summer. Have I whined enough yet about how much I loathe running in the summer? Plus, I don’t want to steal any thunder away from Dumbo and my epic first trip to Disneyland! I can’t believe it’s getting so close! I’m thinking my official, serious, hardcore Dopey training will begin pretty much the moment I return home from California.

Where are my fellow runDisney fanatics? Who else is starting to worry about Dopey Challenge training already?

Hi, Megan! Thanks so much! “Half of Dopey” is still serious business! Good for you. It’s definitely a scary thought, but we can do this! Please do keep me posted on your training…we’re all in this together, right?

LOVE your new blog design, it looks fantastic! Long runs in the summer heat are dang near impossible. Here lately I’ve just been going on the treadmill, but my threshold for the TM is about 6 miles, so I may just have to suck it up in the next few weeks and deal with the heat lol

Hey, Lauren! Aw, thanks so much — I’m really excited about it! It has been ROUGH, I know. Long runs are difficult enough without the humidity. I’m definitely struggling, but doing everything I can to get those miles in! I know some runners split their long runs in half between the treadmill (I hate it, too!) and outdoors, so that’s always an option!

Here’s my 2 cents on summer running – I love it! However, you need to get up early to get them in. What time are you starting your runs that are getting you too hot??? We had a heat wave here in Northern CA recently and I was getting up at 6-7 am to get my runs in. Even then it was in the 70s by the time I finished a few of them. Running early in the morning is so nice. It’s hard to get out of bed some days but I’ve been putting old coffee in the fridge at night and then drinking it over ice with a little sugar and milk right before a run to help wake me up. I personally think you need to do the 10+ mile long runs. For me, the hardest part of half marathons are those last 3 miles. So I recommend getting up early and getting those long runs in girl!

Hi, Kelly! So awesome to hear from you, and thank you so much! I know, I know, you are 100 percent correct…I need to be getting up earlier! I have every intention to hit the pavement by, say, 7am, but lately it’s been closer to 9am…and so by the time I’m finishing up those last few miles, the sun/heat/humidity is pretty brutal. I’m definitely going to make a concentrated effort to get out there earlier, and I’ll also plan to train over 10 miles…I know you’re right about that, too! The iced coffee is a FABULOUS idea, by the way — thanks! Why didn’t I think of that?!

It’s hard to do…. but try to tell yourself it will be worth it. Because it will! You’ll be done with your run and still have the rest of the day. You don’t have to do it all the time but especially for long runs getting out there earlier will really pay off. Do you take water with you? Anything else to refuel yourself half way through a long run? That was vital for me too on long runs. Now, if I’m running more than about 3 miles and it’s a warm day I take water. Also a little trick I learned was to chew gum while running. Helps to keep away that dry mouth you get when you’re thirsty but didn’t bring water. You’re doing great! Just adjust things a little to not make it so hard on yourself. The other day it was like 94 degrees out when I came home from work around 6:15. And there was a very overweight older lady RUNNING down the street. I applaud her efforts of course but don’t make running even harder on yourself then is already is! Heat just kills runs. We at least for me it does. And I have to run in the morning. If I’ve worked all day, running is not my choice of exercise.

Yes, a little iced coffee has replaced my Gu gels. I fill a 12 oz glass with ice and then fill with coffee, 1 splenda and a splash of FF milk. Sometimes i have to force myself to drink it because I’m that bleary-eyed in the morning. But once I get going and it kicks in, it helps fuel some really great runs. You got this girl!

You’re right! I know I need to suck it up and listen to you. I will definitely work on getting my butt out of bed earlier for my next long run!

I do make sure to have either access to water and/or Gatorade or Powerade, and I’ve (finally) found fuel that works for me. I never thought to chew gum — that’s genius! I hate that “dry mouth” feeling. Heat is the worst, but like you said, there ARE ways to make it easier on ourselves…so I definitely appreciate your wisdom, as always!

Hi, Kelly! Aw, thanks so much, I appreciate it! I’m thrilled with the new design, I definitely couldn’t have done it myself, haha.

That is AWESOME! Dumbo will be my first trip to DL, and I can’t wait! I haven’t done the Tinkerbell yet (I’m thinking 2015), but I’ve heard nothing but great things (of course…it’s runDisney, after all). It’s going to be an amazing first half marathon experience! Please do keep me posted on your training…and let me be the first to warn you that running at Disney can get really addicting. ;-D

I love the new design! It’s very modern and easy to read. =) I’m the first few weeks of training for my first half (November 10th) but I really need to start thinking about training for the Glass Slipper Challenge too. Yikes!

Thanks so much, Jodi! Super excited for your first half! You’re going to kill it. Once you have that first half under your belt, you’ll feel ready to take on GSC. (I signed up for Dumbo prior to actually running Princess…and after I finished, I felt totally ready to take on the 10K/half combo). No worries, you’ve got this!

I’m loving the new look! Since my next race isn’t until the Disney half in January, I’m still kind of taking it easy, which is great since I live in Texas and this heat’s a killer. I spent all of last week in the Colorado Rockies where it was in the 60s and 70s. I would’ve loved to run outside but there’s no air up there.

Thanks so much, Lesley, appreciate it! I’m a tad jealous of you, not going to lie! I’m not loving this whole “training for a major race” in the summer thing. I’m loving the idea of training for WDW Marathon Weekend in the nice cool fall/winter weather!

I'm Jen, thanks for checking out my blog! After a lifetime of struggling with my weight, I managed to lose 90 pounds in 2007... and, for the first time in my life, actually kept them off. In my efforts to lose "the final 40," I became a runner and martial artist (Taekwondo and Muay Thai). A NJ-based freelance journalist, when I'm not writing about the latest health and fitness trends, I'm actually living them! Visit my website at www.jenniferlnelson.com